Corrections
by Hopeakaarme
Summary: A team reunion takes a turn for the worse as Oshitari takes it upon himself to criticize Atobe's actions concerning his daughter. Fortunately, Kabaji steps in. Sequel to Strange Dreams. Implied shounen ai AtoKaba.


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Konomi Takeshi does. I'm merely playing with them for the moment.

A/N: A sequel to _Strange Dreams_.

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Corrections

"Is everything ready?" Atobe adjusted the collar of his shirt as he quickly walked through his oversized apartment, checking every last detail. As he scrutinized every room he came to the conclusion that everything was, indeed, ready for his guests to arrive. Every room was clean, the dinner was just about ready, and Atobe himself looked just as perfect as ever.

"Kei-kei." A little hand tugged at the leg of his pants. "Kei-kei!" Glancing down, he found a smiling little face looking up at him. Returning the smile, he picked up the child, smoothening her soft black hair and quickly adjusting the pretty bow at the front of her tiny dress.

"Why, I see you're ready indeed, Yume-hime," he murmured, smiling as he carried her towards the kitchen. "I guess that covers the important part, then." Peeking into the kitchen, he asked, "Munehiro? Anything I can help with?"

"No, thank you." Kabaji gave him a look that on anyone else would have looked rather serious indeed yet on Kabaji's face, was recognized by Atobe as a smile. "...To think that I would see this day arrive..."

"You're the one who said you could handle everything without hired help," Atobe pointed out. Of course, he had known very well Kabaji was capable of tasks such as cleaning and cooking, but this wasn't quite the same as feeding the two of them and Yume. However, it seemed Kabaji had performed excellently, as always. "Of course I am concerned about you accomplishing such a task by yourself."

"Well, don't worry. This is just a dinner, after all." Kabaji gave him a glance that told Atobe he wasn't offended by what could have easily been interpreted as lack of trust in his abilities. "Besides, they'd forgive me even if everything was not just perfect." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "...Shouldn't they arrive soon?"

"Indeed they should," Atobe replied, glancing at the clock as well. "But then, it's not like they're exactly astounding in their ability to be on time." Just then, though, he was proven wrong by the chime of the door phone. Nodding at Kabaji, he quickly made his way to the door, Yume still on his arm.

"Atobe-san, your guests are here," the doorman's voice cracked out of the phone as he pressed the button. Atobe smirked a bit. At least some of their friends had learnt some form of manners since their school days instead of just showing up when they felt like it. "Ootori-san and Shishido-san. Shall I send them up?"

"Please do," Atobe replied. He was rather convinced Ootori was the one to thank for their timely arrival. "And as more arrive, please send them up as well."

"Understood, Atobe-san." The door phone fell to silence. Yume reached her hand towards it as though trying to reach the fading out voice.

"No, Yume-hime. That's not a toy for little ones," Atobe chastised her gently. "You'll get to play with all manner of phones all too often when you grow up." The thought of a teenage Yume spending the day on the phone... well. He wasn't sure whether to smile or shudder. At least that time wouldn't arrive for quite a while yet.

Some moments later, it was the doorbell's turn to chime. Atobe opened the door, revealing a brightly smiling Ootori and a less smiling but generally not displeased Shishido.

"Welcome," he smirked. "You're the first to arrive. Good job at teaching Shishido to show up on time, Ootori."

"Shut up, Atobe," Shishido greeted him. "Choutarou's got nothing to do with –" he paused, blinking at the child in Atobe's arms. "Wait. What's that?"

"Oh, surely you should have heard by now." Atobe raised his eyebrows even as he turned to lead the way to the living room while they waited for the others to arrive so they could start the dinner. "Shishido, Ootori, meet Kabaji Yume."

"She's Kabaji's child?" Shishido asked, sounding rather disbelieving. "You mean he's actually managed to get some?"

"Shishido-san," Ootori tried to chastise him, sounding rather exasperated, but Atobe chose to cut in, himself.

"Such activities are often involved in the creating of a child, or so I've come to understand," he replied lightly. "However, if you wish to insult Kabaji, you can just walk right back out of this apartment. He may be kind enough to tolerate such rudeness to himself, but I'm not."

"Woah, calm down," muttered Shishido, looking very much like he wished he'd still had a cap to tug down over his eyes. "It was a joke, stupid."

"I do hope so." Atobe turned towards the door leading to the dining room and, through there, the kitchen. "Munehiro? Ootori and Shishido arrived. Shishido doesn't seem too keen on eating, though." He knew Kabaji would correctly interpret it as a joke. Well, he hoped, in any case. If not, well, Shishido had brought it upon himself.

"Atobe-san," Ootori sighed, sounding like he was about to scold him, this time. Ah. It was somehow pleasant to see some things hadn't changed after all. "I apologize for Shishido-san's behaviour."

"He's forgiven for now," Atobe replied with a tiny smirk. "...Would you like to hold Yume?"

"Gladly," Ootori replied with a smile, taking the offered child into his arms. "Well, hello there, Yume-chan."

Yume gurgled a bit with tiny fingers stuck into her mouth, then reached her free hand to try to grasp on Ootori's hair. Obviously she considered him, just like any other new additions to the household, merely a toy for her amusement.

"...Well, at least she's cute." Shishido looked like he didn't know whether to smile or worry as he watched Ootori's fascination growing with every little smile and sound Yume graciously granted him. "Does she have a mother or something?"

"Technically, all children do," Atobe pointed out smoothly. "However, to answer your obvious question, no, she's not around." He smirked as he watched Yume completely charming Ootori with truly minimal effort. Shishido looked at him questioningly, obviously expecting more information, yet got none.

The rest showed up shortly. Jirou had apparently run into Taki and Hiyoshi right outside the building, while Mukahi was practically hanging off Oshitari's arm as Atobe opened the door. At the arrival of these last ones, he led everyone into the dining room, where Kabaji had just finished setting the table.

"I see the lady of the house gets her rightful spot," Taki said with a small smile as Atobe calmly placed Yume into the little seat fastened to the end of the table. "Rule us fairly, will you, Yume-chan?"

"Ah-fuu," announced Yume serenely.

The dinner went pretty much as expected. There was a lot to catch up on, and thus there was never a silent moment. Shishido seemed intent on figuring out the mystery of Yume, looking quite frustrated at Kabaji's lack of answers, while Jirou for once didn't fall asleep on his plate, busy as he was cooing at Yume. Ootori blushed when asked about living with Shishido but didn't deny anything, while Hiyoshi just grunted something unintelligible with the slightest of flushes on his cheeks when Jirou asked how he and Taki had just happened to arrive at the same time. All in all, Atobe considered it quite a successful team reunion, especially since there was no blood spilled or accidental fires. By their standards, this was something of a miracle.

After everyone was finished with dinner, they moved to the living room, Kabaji being dragged along despite all the half-voiced protests he tried to make about dishes. Atobe just shot him a sharp glance, reminding him that Kabaji had been a part of the team, while the dishes definitely hadn't, now don't make me wait any more Munehiro.

The conversation carried on, light and at times quite enthusiastic. Yume was absolutely glowing with all the attention devoted to her, obviously enjoying it whole-heartedly. She really did take after him even at such an early age, Atobe thought somewhat wistfully. Leaving the child currently in Taki's care, he stepped out to the balcony to get a breath of fresh air.

Hearing the door opened and then closed again behind himself, he turned his head, only vaguely surprised to see Oshitari stepping out to accompany him. The other man leant against the railing some ways from him, looking out into the darkening night for a moment.

"So, which one of you gave birth to her?" Oshitari drawled.

Atobe raised his eyebrows. "What on God's good Earth do you mean?" he asked incredulously.

"I'd think it's quite obvious." Oshitari turned to look at him. "I'm not an idiot, Atobe. You say she's Kabaji's, but she's the perfect image of you. Either one of you is the mother, or there's something fishy going on here."

Atobe smiled wryly. "Since you're so smart, you've probably got it figured out already," he said levelly. "So what if she's actually mine?"

"Aren't you ashamed at all?" Oshitari's sharp words made Atobe freeze. "Where do you get off, letting Kabaji take all the responsibility and just buying pretty dresses for her?"

"Shut up," Atobe hissed. Of course, he shouldn't really have expected him to actually do so.

"If you don't want children, don't go around sleeping with random girls. Or at least have the dignity to call her yours, you coward."

Atobe's anger flared, now. "Do you think I didn't want her?" he spat, finally turning around to glare at Oshitari. "Do you think I was glad to shove her on Kabaji's shoulders? I wanted her, and her mother, too! But... I couldn't." He turned his eyes away. "My parents wouldn't agree. Hers wouldn't agree, either. None of them would even hear of a bastard child, and marriage... well, she'd already been promised to another. God knows I'd have been delighted to call Yume mine... but I couldn't. I simply wasn't allowed to."

"Then why Kabaji?" Oshitari asked, relentless. "Was ruining your best friend's reputation the only choice?"

"Yes!" Atobe turned his eyes back at his old teammate, the blue in them turning into pure ice. "Yes, it was the only choice. I just told you... our parents wouldn't stand for a bastard. If Kabaji hadn't stepped up just then, if he hadn't made his offer..." He swallowed. "It was his idea, Oshitari. His idea, yet I couldn't refuse. It was the only way to keep my daughter close... the only way to allow my daughter to be born at all." His hands gripped the railing, his knuckles turning white. "When it came down to that choice... yes, I felt ruining Kabaji's reputation was the only way I could keep Yume in any manner or form."

"It's always like this, eh?" Oshitari's voice was quiet, now. "Kabaji's doing all your dirty work. Dinner or child, you don't have to worry, he's got you covered."

"You think I enjoy it?" Atobe's voice was equally quiet, his gaze hard on Oshitari. "I know... I know I can never repay him for everything he's done for me over the years. It would be simply rude for me to even think so. But I'm selfish, and he's not, and that combination can only lead to my abusing his kindness."

"Stop it." The deep voice drew both of their gazes to the door to the balcony. Kabaji stood there, looking serious and somber as ever, Yume held in his arms. "Both of you... stop."

"Munehiro?" Atobe blinked in surprise and something of a shock. "You – how much did you hear?" Despite Kabaji being the subject of the conversation, it wasn't exactly something he'd have wanted his best friend to hear.

"Enough." Kabaji stepped forward, giving the somewhat disgruntled child to Atobe. "She wanted her Kei-Kei." Turning to look at Oshitari, he paused before finally saying, his tone deep and words slow and weighty as ever, "You... are wrong." His fingers caressing Yume's fine dark hair as Atobe adjusted her on his arm, he added, "I'm the fortunate one."

"How can you say that?" spat Oshitari. "Don't you listen to the rumours going around about you? Don't you realize what you've done to your life?"

"I don't hear those. Keigo does." Kabaji's gaze wasn't angry or even reprimanding as he looked at Oshitari, just... serious. "For the moment, I may have lost some of my old life... but I've gained more." He glanced again at Atobe and Yume. "I used to have one important person... now I have two."

"Munehiro," Atobe started, then fell silent again, words failing him as he desperately tried to grasp for a way to express himself. Never before had he been left quite so speechless. Kabaji was so serious, there, so steady standing between him and Oshitari, and Yume was small and warm as she smiled up at him and for once he didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt in holding the child he couldn't call his.

"...Honestly." Oshitari shook his head. "Sometimes I really don't know if you've been brainwashed or something." He raised his eyebrows. "Not my problem if Atobe's got you thinking he's doing you a favour by dumping his bastard on you."

"It was my idea." Kabaji stood firm. "Keigo... he would have never asked me. There's nothing he could have done. I'm the selfish one, stealing his child for mine." His voice never wavered as he went on, more than Atobe had heard him talking in years around anyone else but himself. "Yume is mine as much as his... and even if she wasn't, I wouldn't mind 'ruining my life' as you say. Not when it's for him." Kabaji's voice was honest as he added, "Oshitari... I love him."

Now, Atobe's eyes widened just as much as Oshitari's, though for him it was more because he'd not expected Kabaji to say such things than because the contents themselves surprised him. "What?" Oshitari somehow managed to get out.

"I love him," Kabaji repeated solemnly. "He's my best friend, has been since before I can remember. I know you can't understand, but... he's important to me." Turning back towards Atobe, he ignored Oshitari entirely as he said, "Let's get her inside. She'll get cold."

For once without words, Atobe just nodded, somehow managing a smile down at Yume as he stepped in from the balcony. Oshitari would follow if he wanted.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him just inside the doorway. It wasn't Kabaji's. "You know," Oshitari said softly, softly enough that nobody else heard him, "you're luckier than you deserve. Luckier than anyone does."

Finally, a slight smile touched Atobe's lips as he glanced at Kabaji, safe and dependable Kabaji, no matter what happened he would always have Kabaji. "...Do you really think I don't know it?"

He did know. He'd known it for a long time. Nevertheless, he never appreciated it quite as much as when Kabaji stood to his defence in such an uncharacteristic manner, or when Kabaji said hardly a word for the rest of the evening but hovered nearby anyway, or when everybody else was already leaving and not even Oshitari questioned Kabaji and Yume staying.

By the time he found himself dozing off on the couch with his fingertip held in Yume's tight grip as she slept on his chest, he was already too sleepy for such coherent feelings, but Kabaji's arms were warm nevertheless as he found himself carried off to bed.


End file.
